In the scientific community, many developments in capillary microfluidics have the goal of producing point-of-care (PoC) devices for biomedical applications (e.g., detection of C-reactive protein based on a fluorescence immunoassay using a fluorescence microscope), food safety applications (e.g., detection of botulinum toxin based on an integrated capillary electrochemical sensor), or scientific research applications. These devices often employ biosensors that require the flow (and/or incubation) of different solutions (including the solution under test) in a sequential order at appropriate flow rates and/or periods of time.
As a specific example, a PoC device may utilize lateral flow strips. A common lateral flow strip is simple device that only requires the placement of a drop of a sample under test on an extremity of the strip. Consequently the fluid flows in the direction of the other extremity during which a cascade of events is responsible for the analysis of the sample analytes and signal production. Example applications of the lateral flow in biomedical diagnostics are for pregnancy tests and glycemia monitoring. Other applications include systems to monitor food and beverage safety, biological threat and environmental toxins.